Monthly Archives: November 2007

I saw this picture at Casting Pearls Before Swine and thought it was worth a 2nd viewing. Greetings from Mt. Perspective! (It says, “Now that I’m safe I’m Pro-Choice!”)

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You know you are blessed when the abortionist who tries to kill you ends up signing your birth certificate. Just more evidence that abortion kills an innocent human being, and that a failed abortion failed to kill a human being.

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What a joke – the UN wants $86 billion per year to combat global warming and to help the poor. Now there’s a good investment, because you just know they would use it efficiently.

Seriously, the UN (and the other Greens) could milk this forever! I mean, when will they ever say that the world is just the right temperature in all the right spots and will stay that way – especially when that would cut off their funding and power?

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To spank or not to spank children – simple but excellent guidelines on a controversial topic. This is back in the news in the Houston area because a 2 yr. old was killed by the horribly wrong kind of physical discipline. It is sad to see some legislatures considering anti-spanking laws. Just what we need – more of the nanny state.
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A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.

3 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

I’ve found that one of the key ingredients to success at work and at home is what I say and what I don’t say. Being more intential about saying good and encouraging things makes a big difference, but even more important are the things I don’t say – those pointless, unconstructive things that make you feel better for a moment but are there for a lifetime.

4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

5 The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

6 Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

8 A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.

9 The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

10 Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.

Learning to submit to authority is an important success factor in life. Too many people grow up without basic manners and with the ethic that rebellion is good. They are destined for misery.

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

15 Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

As 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” I’ve seen how choosing friends well has made a huge difference in my daughters’ lives so we encourage that whenever we can.

21 Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Giving is important and can bring great joy, but there is nothing wrong with thrift and saving. We need to trust that God will provide, but one of the ways He provides is to give us enough to save for retirement and to give generously.

23 A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.

24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

That is the classic verse about how to punish children. I go through Proverbs a chapter at a time here, but it is also productive to go through the whole book to look at particular themes such as money, marriage, children, etc.

If we love our kids we will discipline them appropriately while keeping their natures in mind. V. 24 isn’t a blank check for abuse. It doesn’t say to punish in anger. But age-appropriate and infraction-appropriate punishment is important to their well-being.

25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

It is easy to take the 10th Commandment (Thou shalt not covet) more lightly than others, because it not as highly ranked, right? But coveting leads to all sorts of problems and is at the root of violating many of the other commandments.

Coveting is bad because when we covet we make ourselves miserable. But there is another more significant problem with it, which is what it says to God. When I covet I am telling God that I think He has made mistakes and has not given me all He should have. When I look at coveting that way it is very sobering, because that is obviously not the message I want to send to my Lord and Savior.

I often hear people claim that so-and-so has too much money already, so they should cough it up (via taxes) for the public good. Perhaps they do have too much, but is the claim that God is asleep at the wheel and isn’t distributing wealth properly? Views like that are just another way of coveting other people’s money and subtly blaming God for not distributing wealth the way we think it should be done. It may seem more noble because of the “Robin Hood” effect, but it is coveting just the same.

Stand to Reason trains Christians to think more clearly about their faith and to make an even-handed, incisive, yet gracious defense for classical Christianity and classical Christian values in the public square.

According to the Bible, a Christian should only marry a person who is:

A Christian

Able to be married (i.e., of legal age, not married already, etc.)

Of the opposite sex

Item 3 used to be self-evident (and still is, for most of us), but we had to add it to the list a few years back.

That’s it. The key constraint is usually item 1: The future spouse must be a Christian. Ignoring God’s clear direction on this is a bad idea.

Full disclosure: It is possible that my wife violated guideline #1 in marrying me. Fortunately, she lost the receipt so she can’t return me now.

“Missionary dating” (that is, dating someone in hopes of converting them) is un-Biblical , as it is based on false pretenses. God might bless your relationship and your spouse might become a Christian, but there are no guarantees of that in scripture. You just don’t want to start your marriage in clear violation of one of God’s commands.

Marrying someone outside your faith is problematic. You will have vastly different views on what should be the most important part of your life. It will send a horrible message to your children, namely that you and your spouse thought it was important to agree on where to live, how many kids to have, where to vacation, what to eat, etc., but it wasn’t important for you to have even a general agreement on who God is and how that should impact your lives.

A good Christian friend realized the error of his ways and broke off a relationship with a non-Christian. It was pretty painful, but certain things validated why he needed to make the break: She specifically tempted him to deny his God, “Just this once” – proof enough as to why such relationships are a bad idea.

Of course, just because it is moral to marry someone doesn’t mean it it wise. There is a lot of wisdom and advice about how and whether to marry in the book of Proverbs and in 1 Corinthians 7, among other places. These passages were directed to Solomon’s son but they apply to both sexes.

Proverbs 12:4 A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Proverbs 21:9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

Proverbs 21:19 Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

Proverbs 27:15 A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;

Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

Greetings! This opening convicts me, because I am a lousy singer and have always been self conscious about my singing. I do play guitar at some gatherings, which I enjoy because it gives me a way to praise him another way. And that way I can sing if I like, because no one is standing too close to me!

The main point is to worship him fully and joyfully, as is fitting for all He is and all He does.

1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;

14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—

15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.

17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.

18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.